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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Carmen Heuker vs. BW 1-22-25
Peter Wangechi
68
Winner Baldwin Wallace BW 15-1,9-0 OAC
60
John Carroll JCU 13-4,7-2 OAC
Winner
Baldwin Wallace BW
15-1,9-0 OAC
68
Final
60
John Carroll JCU
13-4,7-2 OAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Baldwin Wallace BW 10 17 23 18 68
John Carroll JCU 11 14 12 23 60

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jack Stephens, Staff Writer

Women's Basketball Can't Overcome Cold Spell, Losing to #11/12 BW at Home

Carmen Heuker led a late comeback that couldn't overcome a tough third quarter

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — After back-and-forth contest, the #11/12 Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets used a big second half to knock off John Carroll Women's Basketball, 68-60. 

It was a high-stakes contest between the two Northeast Ohio rivals, as Baldwin Wallace traveled into University Heights ranked in the top 12 in the country in two polls and riding a 14-game winning streak. John Carroll, on the other hand, was off to one of its best starts in recent program history and second in the OAC with a 7-1 conference record coming into the night. 

A difficult third quarter spelled trouble for the Blue Streaks, and a comeback effort came up short. JCU dropped a 68-60 defeat to the Yellow Jackets, ending a 5-game win streak. 

Ava Ryncarz ignited DeCarlo Varsity Center early, as she drilled a three on the Blue Streaks' first possession to give them a quick lead. After a layup from Carly Perusek, JCU held Baldwin Wallace off the scoreboard until just past the six-minute mark off a jumper from Laura McCoy. Both teams traded buckets down the stretch of the first, but JCU enjoyed a 11-10 advantage after one. 

BW scored the first points of the second quarter, but a shifty move from Ryncarz led to an open pullup jumper that she drained. The hot streak from JCU's star player continued, as she hit a deep three to put JCU up 16-14. The score would stay there until two BW free throws knotted the game halfway through the second quarter. Baldwin Wallace claimed its largest lead of the night to that point off a triple from Ava Wilkerson. However, JCU quickly responded courtesy of three pointers from Graci Semptimphelter and Ryncarz. The back-and-forth affair continued as the Yellow Jackets answered with a triple of their own. JCU would go on to take a 25-22 lead late, until two Yellow Jacket buckets gave them the lead right before halftime. 

Ava Ryncarz had a game-high 11 points and three rebounds for JCU in the first half. Kaylie McKenney and Carly Perusek combined for 8 points and 5 rebounds. Nine different Baldwin Wallace players scored in the first half. The Yellow Jackets outrebounded JCU, 21-14, in the first half.

Baldwin Wallace scored the first points of the third quarter, but Head Coach Beth Andrews got a quick response from a converted and-one from Semptimphelter. The Blue Streak momentum was short lived, as the Yellow Jackets quickly galloped on an 8-0 run to give them their largest lead of the night, 37-28. 

After a Blue Streak timeout, Semptimpheler sunk a layup off a great feed from Perusek. After a string of efficient possessions for BW, the lead quickly ballooned to 15 with a minute to play in the third. Two free throws from Ryncarz and a blocked shot at the buzzer made it 50-37 Yellow Jackets at the end of the third period.

Both squads started the fourth quarter cold from the field until an elbow jumper from Emily Irwin broke the ice for BW. John Carroll began the final period of play 0-for-7, until freshman Katie Puletti split a pair of free throws to get the Blue Streaks on the board. Just when it seemed the Blue Streaks were down for the count, JCU erupted on a 9-0 run in a minute and a half to cut the deficit to eight with under a minute left, with Carmen Heuker leading the way with points on back-to-back possessions. John Carroll fought valiantly to get back into the ball game, but BW did a great job executing down the stretch to seal a huge road victory, 68-60.

Three different players hit double figures for the Blue Streaks, as it was Ryncarz leading the way with 16 points and 4 rebounds. Semptimphelter had a productive evening with 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Carly Perusek did a good job on both ends of the floor doing the dirty work in the paint, finishing with 10 points and 5 rebounds. BW also had three scorers hitting double digit points, as the Yellow Jackets also shot 64.7% from the line and outrebounded JCU, 38-26. 

Next Up
John Carroll will look to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon as they hit the road to Ada, for a rematch against the Ohio Northern Polar Bears. 
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